Did You Know You Can Challenge an Inaccurate Police Report about Your Car Accident?
Following a car accident where there were injuries, the responding law enforcement officer will typically write up a police report. While a police report for a car accident is generally not admissible in court, it is an important piece of evidence when it comes to assigning fault and capturing the facts of what happened in the crash. But what happens when the information contained in the police report is not accurate and you would like a chance to revise what the report says?
How to challenge and amend a police report
If you have seen a copy of the police report and you can see that it contains an error, you can request that the police report be changed. Police officers, just like any other human beings, can make mistakes. However, people in positions of authority such as police officers might not be ready to admit that they might have made a mistake. It is important that you take a diplomatic approach when requesting the change. You should also be prepared with strong evidence that supports your version of the car accident. If the error is simply an error in facts – the report says that your vehicle is silver, but it is white – that would likely be an easy fix. But if you are challenging the officer’s conclusions about who is at fault, the officer might not be so quick to comply with your request for a change in the report.
What if you challenge the police report, but the officer is unwilling to amend it?
This is a little trickier. If you spoke with the officer, and he or she is unwilling to change the report, you’ll want to write up your version of what happened, and request that the police officer attach your report to their official report. Make sure you are 100% honest in your write-up, and include as much documentation and evidence as possible to support your view. If you can get witnesses that agree to your report and will corroborate your dispute of the officer’s version, that can be beneficial to your case.
Dealing with the after-effects of a car crash can be difficult; picking the right Los Angeles car accident lawyer shouldn’t be. At Taylor & Ring, we put our extensive experience helping injury victims to work for you. To find out more about our services, or to schedule a free consultation, please call 310-776-6390 or fill out our contact form.
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